The fourth stage of Francesco Tristano's Bach journey with naÃ¯ve is the complete set of six French Suites (BWV 812-817, c. 1722-1725). This work often leaves performers somewhat disconcerted, and few performers play it in it's entirety. It's spareness and almost ingenuous simplicity conceal the quintessence of aesthetic form. The restrained writing and the radical brevity of it's ideas and motifs belie a subtle chemistry of contrasts, for example in the Suite in E major, BWV 817. This gem, comprising nine finely balanced movements, offers an almost unique overview of the Baroque dance repertoire (Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gavotte, BourrÃ©e, Gigue, Polish Minuet, Little Minuet {Ã la franÃ§aise}). Francesco Tristano performs the revised version of the Suite, prefaced by the Prelude in E major from Book I of The Well-Tempered Clavier.The cycle of six French Suites remains the first through which this Luxembourg pianist immersed himself deeply and enduringly in Bach, admiring as he does their quiet beauty and curious serenity. For him, the French Suites are lyrical and melodic yet also incisive, as if imbued with vivid spontaneity and without the slightest hint of haste. Density through compression is perhaps the true aim of the French Suites-after the expansion of forms at work in the six English Suites (the only earlier surviving set of French-style suites by J. S. Bach; see naÃ¯ve V 8828, 2025)-before we reach the miraculous synthesis achieved in the first part of the Clavier-Ãœbung (the six Partitas; naÃ¯ve V 8619, 2024).In this new stage of his journey with Bach-a composer whose complete keyboard works he ultimately hopes to record-Francesco Tristano favors a really warm sound, very soft, underscoring the more intimate tone of the collection (e.g. Suite BWV 814, Allemande; Suite BWV 815, Sarabande; Suite BWV 813, Air), in marked contrast to the more trumpet-like atmospheres that emerged from the double album comprising the six English Suites, for instance, released in spring 2025. With his customary delicacy, Breno Rotatori faithfully conveys the quest for purity that permeates these compositions in his six sumptuous photographs, one for each of the six Suites, all of them in black and white.

Tracklist:

French Suite No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812~I. Allemande
French Suite No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812~II. Courante
French Suite No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812~III. Sarabande
French Suite No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812~IV. Menuet I
French Suite No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812~V. Menuet II
French Suite No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812~VI. Gigue
French Suite No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813/813a~I. Allemande
French Suite No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813/813a~II. Courante
French Suite No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813/813a~III. Sarabande
French Suite No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813/813a~IV. Air
French Suite No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813/813a~V. Menuet (I)
French Suite No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813/813a~VI. Menuet (II)
French Suite No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813/813a~VII. Gigue
French Suite No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814~I. Allemande
French Suite No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814~II. Courante
French Suite No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814~III. Sarabande
French Suite No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814~IV. Anglaise
French Suite No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814~V. Menuet I
French Suite No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814~VI. Menuet II (Trio)
French Suite No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814~VII. Gigue
French Suite No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815~I. Allemande
French Suite No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815~II. Courante
French Suite No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815~III. Sarabande
French Suite No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815~IV. Gavotte
French Suite No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815~V. Air
French Suite No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815~VI. Menuet
French Suite No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815~VII. Gigue
French Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816~I. Allemande
French Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816~II. Courante
French Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816~III. Sarabande
French Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816~IV. Gavotte
French Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816~VI. Loure
French Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816~VII. Gigue
French Suite No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (revised version)~II (I). Allemande
French Suite No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (revised version)~III (II). Courante
French Suite No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (revised version)~IV (III). Sarabande
French Suite No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (revised version)~V (IV). Gavotte
French Suite No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (revised version)~VI (V). Menuet polonais
French Suite No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (revised version)~VII (VIII). Petit Menuet
French Suite No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (revised version)~IX (VII). Gigue

UPC: 3700187688332
Label: Naive
Release Date: 7.3.26
Format: CD

Francesco Tristano - Bach: 6 French Suites (CD)